Installation Instructions for Software RAID
It is possible install Ubuntu Server on Software RAID (RAID1) devices on ppc64el-based systems, with Ubuntu Server 14.04.4 LTS or later, and 16.04 LTS or later.
The requirement is that PReP partition(s) must be created directly on top of the component device(s) (not on top of the Software RAID device):
in only one of the component devices with Ubuntu Server 14.04.4 LTS or later
in one or more of the component devices with Ubuntu Server 16.04 LTS or later
Other partitions (for /, /boot, /home etc.) can be created on top of the Software RAID device.
The instructions for this process are described in this page.
Overview
- Select Manual partitioning
- Initialize the partition table of the component devices
- Create PReP partition(s) in component device(s)
- Configure the Software RAID device (RAID1)
- Partition the Software RAID device (with either Manual or Guided partitioning)
- Proceed with the normal installation process
Example
This example illustrates the installation process for Software RAID1 with 2 component devices and Guided partitioning with LVM.
The steps and installation dialogs are based on Ubuntu Server 14.04.4 LTS, and are closely similar on Ubuntu Server 16.04 LTS (different output).
All steps are performed in the Partition disks dialog.
Select Manual partitioning
Manual partitioning is required initially, in order to prepare the disks (e.g., initialize the partition table, and create PReP partition(s)) and configure Software RAID.
Afterward, it is possible to use Guided partitioning.
Select Manual:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ The installer can guide you through partitioning a disk (using │ │ different standard schemes) or, if you prefer, you can do it │ │ manually. With guided partitioning you will still have a chance later │ │ to review and customise the results. │ │ │ │ If you choose guided partitioning for an entire disk, you will next │ │ be asked which disk should be used. │ │ │ │ Partitioning method: │ │ │ │ Guided - use entire disk │ │ Guided - use entire disk and set up LVM │ │ Guided - use entire disk and set up encrypted LVM │ │ Manual │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Initialize the partition table in the component devices
Select each (unpartitioned) component device (press Enter), and confirm the dialog.
Select sda:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ Guided partitioning │ │ Configure software RAID ▒ │ │ Configure the Logical Volume Manager ▒ │ │ Configure encrypted volumes ▒ │ │ Configure iSCSI volumes ▒ │ │ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Yes:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ You have selected an entire device to partition. If you proceed with │ │ creating a new partition table on the device, then all current │ │ partitions will be removed. │ │ │ │ Note that you will be able to undo this operation later if you wish. │ │ │ │ Create new empty partition table on this device? │ │ │ │ <Go Back> <Yes> <No> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select sdb:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ Guided partitioning │ │ Configure software RAID ▒ │ │ Configure the Logical Volume Manager ▒ │ │ Configure encrypted volumes ▒ │ │ Configure iSCSI volumes ▒ │ │ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ > 17.2 GB FREE SPACE ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Yes:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ You have selected an entire device to partition. If you proceed with │ │ creating a new partition table on the device, then all current │ │ partitions will be removed. │ │ │ │ Note that you will be able to undo this operation later if you wish. │ │ │ │ Create new empty partition table on this device? │ │ │ │ <Go Back> <Yes> <No> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Create PReP partition(s) in component device(s)
- The number of PReP partitions depends on the Ubuntu Server version:
Ubuntu Server 14.04.4 LTS or later: only one of the component devices (no redundancy)
Ubuntu Server 16.04 LTS or later: one or more of the component devices (repeat the steps in this section for each component device).
Select FREE SPACE under either one of 'sda' or 'sdb' ('sda', on this example):
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ Guided partitioning │ │ Configure software RAID ▒ │ │ Configure the Logical Volume Manager ▒ │ │ Configure encrypted volumes ▒ │ │ Configure iSCSI volumes ▒ │ │ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ > 17.2 GB FREE SPACE ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ > 17.2 GB FREE SPACE │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Create a new partition:
┌───────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├───────────┐
│ │
│ How to use this free space: │
│ │
│ Create a new partition │
│ Automatically partition the free space │
│ Show Cylinder/Head/Sector information │
│ │
│ <Go Back> │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘Enter 8 MB for the partition size:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ The maximum size for this partition is 17.2 GB. │ │ │ │ Hint: "max" can be used as a shortcut to specify the maximum size, or │ │ enter a percentage (e.g. "20%") to use that percentage of the maximum │ │ size. │ │ │ │ New partition size: │ │ │ │ 8 MB_________________________________________________________________ │ │ │ │ <Go Back> <Continue> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Beginning:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Please choose whether you want the new partition to be created at the │ │ beginning or at the end of the available space. │ │ │ │ Location for the new partition: │ │ │ │ Beginning │ │ End │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Use as:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ You are editing partition #1 of SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda). No existing file │ │ system was detected in this partition. │ │ │ │ Partition settings: │ │ │ │ Name: │ │ Use as: Ext4 journaling file system │ │ ▒ │ │ Mount point: / ▒ │ │ Mount options: defaults ▒ │ │ Label: none ▒ │ │ Reserved blocks: 5% ▒ │ │ Typical usage: standard ▒ │ │ Bootable flag: off ▒ │ │ │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Use the partition as a PowerPC PReP boot partition:
┌─────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────┐
│ │
│ How to use this partition: │
│ │
│ Use the partition as a PowerPC PReP boot partition │
│ Ext4 journaling file system │
│ Ext3 journaling file system ▒ │
│ Ext2 file system ▒ │
│ btrfs journaling file system ▒ │
│ JFS journaling file system ▒ │
│ XFS journaling file system ▒ │
│ FAT16 file system ▒ │
│ FAT32 file system ▒ │
│ swap area ▒ │
│ Reserved BIOS boot area ▒ │
│ physical volume for encryption ▒ │
│ physical volume for RAID │
│ │
│ <Go Back> │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Select Done setting up the partition:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ You are editing partition #1 of SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda). No existing file │ │ system was detected in this partition. │ │ │ │ Partition settings: │ │ │ │ Name: │ │ Use as: PowerPC PReP boot partition │ │ │ │ Bootable flag: off │ │ │ │ Copy data from another partition │ │ Delete the partition │ │ Done setting up the partition │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Configure the Software RAID device (RAID1)
Use the 'Configure software RAID' option, and create a MD device in the (remaining) free space in each component device.
Select Configure software RAID:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ Guided partitioning │ │ Configure software RAID ▒ │ │ Configure the Logical Volume Manager ▒ │ │ Configure encrypted volumes ▒ │ │ Configure iSCSI volumes ▒ │ │ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ > 1.0 MB FREE SPACE ▒ │ │ > #1 7.3 MB K ▒ │ │ > 17.2 GB FREE SPACE │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Yes:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Before RAID can be configured, the changes have to be written to the │ │ storage devices. These changes cannot be undone. │ │ │ │ When RAID is configured, no additional changes to the partitions in │ │ the disks containing physical volumes are allowed. Please convince │ │ yourself that you are satisfied with the current partitioning scheme │ │ in these disks. │ │ │ │ The partition tables of the following devices are changed: │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) │ │ │ │ Write the changes to the storage devices and configure RAID? │ │ │ │ <Yes> <No> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Create MD device:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is the software RAID (or MD, "multiple device") configuration │ │ menu. │ │ │ │ Please select one of the proposed actions to configure software RAID. │ │ │ │ Software RAID configuration actions │ │ │ │ Create MD device │ │ Delete MD device │ │ Finish │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select RAID1:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Please choose the type of the software RAID device to be created. │ │ │ │ Software RAID device type: │ │ │ │ RAID0 │ │ RAID1 │ │ RAID5 │ │ RAID6 │ │ RAID10 │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Enter the number of active devices for the array (default value: 2, in this example). Select Continue.
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ The RAID1 array will consist of both active and spare devices. The │ │ active devices are those used, while the spare devices will only be │ │ used if one or more of the active devices fail. A minimum of 2 active │ │ devices is required. │ │ │ │ NOTE: this setting cannot be changed later. │ │ │ │ Number of active devices for the RAID1 array: │ │ │ │ 2____________________________________________________________________ │ │ │ │ <Go Back> <Continue> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Enter the number of spare devices for the array (default value: 0, in this example). Select Continue.
┌───────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├───────────┐
│ │
│ Number of spare devices for the RAID1 array: │
│ │
│ 0___________________________________________ │
│ │
│ <Go Back> <Continue> │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘Select the (remaining) FREE SPACE in each component device (in this example, /dev/sda free #2 and /dev/sdb free #1), and select Continue:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ You have chosen to create a RAID1 array with 2 active devices. │ │ │ │ Please choose which partitions are active devices. You must select │ │ exactly 2 partitions. │ │ │ │ Active devices for the RAID1 array: │ │ │ │ [ ] /dev/sda free #1 (1MB; FREE SPACE) │ │ [ ] /dev/sda1 (7MB) │ │ [*] /dev/sda free #2 (17171MB; FREE SPACE) │ │ [*] /dev/sdb free #1 (17179MB; FREE SPACE) │ │ │ │ <Go Back> <Continue> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Yes:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Before RAID can be configured, the changes have to be written to the │ │ storage devices. These changes cannot be undone. │ │ │ │ When RAID is configured, no additional changes to the partitions in │ │ the disks containing physical volumes are allowed. Please convince │ │ yourself that you are satisfied with the current partitioning scheme │ │ in these disks. │ │ │ │ The partition tables of the following devices are changed: │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) │ │ │ │ Write the changes to the storage devices and configure RAID? │ │ │ │ <Yes> <No> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Finish:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is the software RAID (or MD, "multiple device") configuration │ │ menu. │ │ │ │ Please select one of the proposed actions to configure software RAID. │ │ │ │ Software RAID configuration actions │ │ │ │ Create MD device │ │ Delete MD device │ │ Finish │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The Software RAID device should now be listed in the Partition disks dialog (RAID1 device #0, in this example):
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ Guided partitioning │ │ Configure software RAID │ │ Configure the Logical Volume Manager ▒ │ │ Configure encrypted volumes ▒ │ │ Configure iSCSI volumes ▒ │ │ ▒ │ │ RAID1 device #0 - 17.2 GB Software RAID device ▒ │ │ > #1 17.2 GB ▒ │ │ > 512.0 B unusable ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Partition the Software RAID device (with either Manual or Guided partitioning)
Partition the device normally, either in Manual or Guided partitioning mode. This example uses Guided partitioning.
![Warning /!\](/moin_static198/light/img/icon_eek.png "Warning /!\"){kind=icon}
Note: There's a bug (LP 1615650) with Guided Partitioning for Software RAID devices with NVMe component devices: the Software RAID device is not listed in the Select disk to partition prompt. (affects Ubuntu Server LTS 16.04 and 16.04.1; fixed for 16.04.2 and later, fixed on 16.04 ISO daily builds as of 14-Sep-2016)
There are 2 options:
- Use Manual partitioning.
- Use Guided partitioning with this workaround:
In the Partition disks dialog, select Go Back until the main menu, then select Execute a Shell
- Run this command:
~ # sed -i '243 i */nvme*) ;;' /lib/partman/lib/auto-shared.sh; exit
Select Partition disks and continue the installation normally.
Select Guided partitioning:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ Guided partitioning │ │ Configure software RAID │ │ Configure the Logical Volume Manager ▒ │ │ Configure encrypted volumes ▒ │ │ Configure iSCSI volumes ▒ │ │ ▒ │ │ RAID1 device #0 - 17.2 GB Software RAID device ▒ │ │ > #1 17.2 GB ▒ │ │ > 512.0 B unusable ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Guided - use entire disk and set up LVM:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ If you choose guided partitioning for an entire disk, you will next │ │ be asked which disk should be used. │ │ │ │ Partitioning method: │ │ │ │ Guided - use entire disk │ │ Guided - use the largest continuous free space │ │ Guided - use entire disk and set up LVM │ │ Guided - use entire disk and set up encrypted LVM │ │ Manual │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select RAID1 device #0:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Note that all data on the disk you select will be erased, but not │ │ before you have confirmed that you really want to make the changes. │ │ │ │ Select disk to partition: │ │ │ │ RAID1 device #0 - 17.2 GB Software RAID device │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Yes:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Before the Logical Volume Manager can be configured, the current │ │ partitioning scheme has to be written to disk. These changes cannot │ │ be undone. │ │ │ │ After the Logical Volume Manager is configured, no additional changes │ │ to the partitioning scheme of disks containing physical volumes are │ │ allowed during the installation. Please decide if you are satisfied │ │ with the current partitioning scheme before continuing. │ │ │ │ The partition tables of the following devices are changed: │ │ RAID1 device #0 │ │ │ │ Write the changes to disks and configure LVM? │ │ │ │ <Yes> <No> │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
- The LVM logical volumes should now be listed in the Partition disks dialog, along with the new partitions in the Software RAID device (in the LVM Volume Group 'trustykvm', in this example):
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ │ │ LVM VG trustykvm-vg, LV root - 16.1 GB Linux device-mapper (linea ▒ │ │ > #1 16.1 GB f ext4 / │ │ LVM VG trustykvm-vg, LV swap_1 - 755.0 MB Linux device-mapper (li ▒ │ │ > #1 755.0 MB f swap swap ▒ │ │ RAID1 device #0 - 17.2 GB Linux Software RAID Array ▒ │ │ > #1 8.0 MB B K ▒ │ │ > #2 256.0 MB f ext2 /boot ▒ │ │ > #3 16.9 GB K lvm ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Proceed with the normal installation process.
The disk partitioning is complete. Finish the 'Partition disks' dialog and continue the installation normally.
Select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk:
┌────────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├─────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ This is an overview of your currently configured partitions and mount │ │ points. Select a partition to modify its settings (file system, mount │ │ point, etc.), a free space to create partitions, or a device to │ │ initialize its partition table. │ │ │ │ > #1 7.3 MB K │ │ > #2 17.2 GB K raid ▒ │ │ > 1.0 MB FREE SPACE ▒ │ │ SCSI1 (0,1,0) (sdb) - 17.2 GB QEMU QEMU HARDDISK ▒ │ │ > 1.0 MB FREE SPACE ▒ │ │ > #1 17.2 GB K raid ▒ │ │ > 1.0 MB FREE SPACE ▒ │ │ ▒ │ │ Undo changes to partitions │ │ Finish partitioning and write changes to disk │ │ │ │ <Go Back> │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Select Yes:
┌───────────────────────┤ [!!] Partition disks ├───────────────────────┐
│ │
│ If you continue, the changes listed below will be written to the │
│ disks. Otherwise, you will be able to make further changes manually. │
│ │
│ The partition tables of the following devices are changed: │
│ LVM VG trustykvm-vg, LV root │
│ LVM VG trustykvm-vg, LV swap_1 │
│ RAID1 device #0 │
│ │
│ The following partitions are going to be formatted: │
│ LVM VG trustykvm-vg, LV root as ext4 │
│ LVM VG trustykvm-vg, LV swap_1 as swap │
│ partition #2 of RAID1 device #0 as ext2 │
│ │
│ Write the changes to disks? │
│ │
│ <Yes> <No> │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘- Continue the installation process normally.